DEALS
* Carlsbad-based GMS Realty acquired Canyon Plaza, a 161,385-square-foot neighborhood shopping center at Laurel Canyon and Roscoe boulevards in Sun Valley, for $18.5 million from Aetna Life Insurance Co. Dave Norcott of Colliers Seeley represented the buyer and seller.
* USC and Ratkovich Co. completed a previously reported deal in which USC signed a 10-year, $16.5-million lease for 85,000 square feet of space at the Alhambra, a 45-acre office project on Fremont Avenue in Alhambra that was the former headquarters of C.F. Braun Engineering Co. USC was represented by Jason Warner of Cushman & Wakefield. Ratkovich Co. was represented by Eric Hinkleman and Tom Sheets of Trammell Crow.
* Digital Media Campus signed an eight-year, $12-million lease for 55,000 square feet of space at 2221 Park Place in El Segundo that will serve as incubator space for sports and entertainment industry start-ups, according to Jim Jandro and Brian Polkinghorne of Cushman & Wakefield, who represented landlord RPD in the lease. The brokers said Digital Media’s investors include Los Angeles Laker star Shaquille O’Neal; O’Neal’s sports agent, Leonard Armato; Oracle Chief Executive Larry Ellison and others. Digital Media was represented by Matthew Miller and Darren Shibuya of Cresa Partners.
* F&F; Partners bought a 112-unit apartment complex at 12517-67 Brookshire Ave. in Downey for $7.6 million from Income Investors Ltd. The seller was represented both in-house and by Paul Marengo of Century 21 Beachside. The buyer was represented by Dash Chopra of Sperry Van Ness.
* Desert Sierra Properties of Sylmar bought a 127,000-square-foot warehouse building on five acres of land at 13291 Ralston Ave. in Sylmar for $7 million from Santa Monica-based Ralston Investments. Ross Thomas of Delphi Business Properties represented the seller. The buyer was represented by Jerry Scullin and David Hoffbert, also of Delphi.
* Community Corp. of Santa Monica bought a 36-unit apartment building at 225 San Vicente Blvd. in Santa Monica from Joan and Leo Harriman for $5 million. Tony G. Azzi of Marcus & Millichap represented both the buyer and seller.
* Barsky Family of La Jolla acquired a 118,923-square-foot industrial building on 4.8 acres of land at 14527 S. San Pedro St. in Gardena for $4.8 million from 14527 San Pedro St. Holdings Inc. of San Diego. Jerry Evans and Allan Goldman of Collins Commercial represented the seller and buyer.
* The law firm of Lyon & Lyon signed a 10-year, $4-million sublease for 19,171 square feet of office space in Library Tower at 633 W. 5th St. in downtown Los Angeles. The lease brings the firm’s total occupancy to nearly 85,000 square feet of space on the 46th through 50th floors. Eric Duncanson of Julien J. Studley Inc. negotiated the sublease on behalf of Lyon & Lyon. The sub-landlord, Sempra Energy, was represented by Norman Mitchell and David Cushman of Cushman Realty.
* Los Angeles-based development group 1840 Highland Partners bought 1.67 acres of vacant land on the southeast corner of Highland and Franklin avenues in Hollywood for $3.4 million and plans to develop a luxury apartment building and hotel on the site, according to Jeff Greene, the partnership’s managing partner. Barry Baker and Jordan Richman of Grubb & Ellis represented the buyer and the seller, 1840 N. Highland Associates of Arlington, Va.
* Minnesota Public Radio signed a 10-year, $3-million lease for 13,600 square feet of space in Figueroa Courtyard at 221 N. Figueroa St. in Los Angeles. Figueroa Courtyard was represented by David Lachoff and Chris Runyen of Grubb & Ellis. The tenant was represented by Carl Muhlstein of Cushman Realty Corp.
* Rescue Rooter, a residential and commercial plumbing services company, signed a 10-year, $2-million lease for 10,891 square feet of space at 15707 Main St. in Gardena. The tenant was represented by Ken Simpson of Klabin Co. The landlord, L2 Properties, was represented by Lewis Latimer of Trammell Crow.
* Etensity, an Internet services firm, signed a five-year, $1.5-million lease for 8,200 square feet of office space at the Water Garden in Santa Monica. Andrew Jennison and John Bibeau of Colliers Seeley represented the tenant. Water Garden was represented by Lisa St. John of Trammell Crow.
* Internet services company You.com signed a five-year, $1.3-million lease for 17,000 square feet of office space at 5959 W. Century Blvd. in Los Angeles. Andrew Jennison and Craig Meyer of Colliers Seeley represented the tenant. The landlord, GE Capital, was represented by Chris Strickfaden, Jim Bowers and Lyseanne Nardizzi of PM Realty.
* Cabot Industrial Properties, a Boston-based real estate development firm, purchased 8.6 acres of former vineyards on Hermosa Avenue between 4th and 6th streets in Rancho Cucamonga from the Mandala family for $1.3 million and expects to break ground on a 645,000-square-foot speculative industrial building on this site and two contiguous parcels. Ruby Simpson and Mark Kegans of Grubb & Ellis represented the seller. Armen Gourdikian of Cushman & Wakefield represented the buyer. The Mandala family owned the land since the early 1900s and grew grapes on it until about 25 years ago.
* Dial-a-Mattress, a mattress retailer, signed a seven-year, $1.1-million lease for 22,000 square feet of industrial space at 841 E. Artesia Blvd. in Carson. The tenant was represented by David Grote of Klabin Co. The landlord, John Bodger & Sons Co., was represented by Brett Blazicek of Grubb & Ellis.
